SiseFromm

I just returned from my daily Kean coffee and read the Times review on Cafe Rouge. It's funny they pointed out the seasonality choice of the tomato salad given that we're in the middle of Winter. What's interesting is that is the very same conversation I had with Cafe Rouge's Chef while dining late evening at Pinot in November. A very raucous Cafe Rouge kitchen and front-house crowd dined at the Pinot Provence bar after their shift. The Chef was, how do I say . . . kind of a character! He and I were busting each other's balls a bit over his choice of peas and tomatoes in the middle of November, even as I shared my over-the-hill but still charming 1984 Echezeaux with him. Side note: apparently the Pinot staff didn't care too much for the kitchen crew's behavior that night. They were boisterous and dined at the bar in their chef's gear (minus coats). The next time we dined most of our dinner was taken care of by the restaurant and they apologized to us for having to deal with the Cafe Rouge crew. I never really thought anything of it even though it was obvious they were indeed a bit over the top for a nice restaurant. It was late though and I enjoyed the comedy. The management staff for the Patina Group didn't think it was very funny though and apparently it was the subject of a very serious meeting the next day.

Terra Valentine up Spring Mountain. The Pinot is a winery-exclusive wine (it isn't sold in stores). Smoky, dense, cloudy, and sweet. For very boutique, check out Skewis. They produce 1,000 cases total across all of their vineyards. EDIT: My bad. I just remebered Skewis is in Healdsburg. That one is probably off the radar.

I'm glad you enjoyed it! Was the escargot served with a basil pistou in a light tomato broth? I think that's the last preparation I had from them a few months ago. Were there any other highlights from the meal? We're eating there Friday night as a matter of fact.

The beer list at Taylor's does indeed rock the house but man . . . a mouthful of those garlic fries make for really bad burps all day long! ;-)

Did anybody catch the recent 3-star review from LA Times? The writer made everything sound absolutely delicious and I've got to get up there asap.

So I was definitely wrong and completely off base thinking Aire had closed. I guess I'll chalk that up to a bad rumor. Robert Whitesall, my chef buddy from Picnics in Costa Mesa and formerly at Boulevard in San Francisco, went again to Aire and sung praises for the food at the wine dinner he recently attended. I'll head back and try them out again.

Pride's "Mistelle de Viognier" is actually a fortified wine, not a late-harvest, but boy is it delicious. Sold in 375 ml bottles for around $55 (I think) it smells of raw pumpkin and sweet melon and has an exciting and viscous mouthfeel with plenty of complexity and sweetness. It isn't sticky sweet though and the lift from the accidity is a nice touch. It's perfect paired with blue cheeses and honey. Have you tried getting your hands on Terra Valentine's Viognier? It's the best we've tried from California and that includes bottles from Miner, Pride, Calera, and Turnbull. The latter four I don't really care for actually but Terra Valentine is doing nice stuff up Spring Mountain. The Viognier might be a winery-only wine so check out their website and join the list for future offerings. It was sold out when we were there in December 2006.

The potential for Aire, I thought, is great. The concept is good and hip urban dining is sorely lacking in Orange County. Costa Mesa is our home-town so I always root for restaurants in the area. I just think the menu needs work and a good chef buddy of mine went and we had the same critiques and hopes. I think if the chef just paired the menu down a bit and focused on the restaurant-making dishes, they could do a lot better with the full package. The Lodge, the former tenants, started strong and I had high hopes for them but they just fizzled out and the service became the worst in the entire area. Maybe Aire will focus in a little and tighten the menu up and become a great, long-standing local favorite.

We ate at Redd a couple of times in December in the week between Christmas and New Year's. Our food was really stellar and as good as I remembered, although the one quirk I felt was a problem before is still hanging around. That is, the confusion of menu items on the bar/appetizer menu. It's hard for me to understand how a beautiful risotto of lobster and lemon can be right alongside hot wings and fish tacos. I think they need to remove those sports bar type items from the menu and focus on what they do so beautifully. The pork belly with soy caramel is still amazing.

Scott's, nearly next door to Pinot on Anton at Bristol, is also a nice choice. We're regulars there as well and as with Pinot, we basically just sit at the bar and shoot the breeze with their friendly bartending staff. Even though it's known as a seafood restaurant, their steaks are actually the surprising star of the menu. Though I don't think it's listed, ask for the bone-in NY Strip (Delmonico cut). It's the way to go. Scott's is also well known for their calamari, which, after frying, is sauteed with lemon, parsley, tomato, and garlic. They call it "Provencal" style and it's absolutely delicious, especially with a crisp draft beer or a frosty vodka martini rimmed with ice shards. I heard Aire closed down? I don't have direct confirmation on that though. I thought the ambience was fantastic and the elevated DJ booth is a nice touch, especially since the music is so vibey there. The small dishes we've had though left a lot to be desired. They have a deep wines by the glass list with a lot of international flare, so that might make up a bit for the thin sauces, underseasoned food, and sloppy execution that has been our experience twice in a row. Also, and it's just a personal quirk, but I absolutely hate the use of ajectives on a menu. It seems cheesy, like something you might see at Applebee's or Chile's. Words like "awesome" just shouldn't be on any serious menu. I give Aire a B-/C+ but that's just me.

I think we're officially "regulars" at Pinot and I absolutely love it. The Westin lobby location is a bit weird, but we just sit at the bar with our very good buddy and favorite bartender Shawn. Great house dishes include the Tuna Tartare with Mustard Cream, Pomme Frites, and Truffles, and the Rosemary Roasted Lamb Loin with Gruyere Potato. We love the staff there. Friendly, sarcastic, very relaxed, and quirky senses of humor. The chef is really the star though and delivers amazing stuff. The food is consistent and you would be hard-pressed to have a bad meal there. When I noted to him how much I loved the Sweetbreads with Curry, Almond and Cauliflower dish that is no longer featured on the menu, he told me to email him directly next time I'm heading in and he would make it special for me. That's class. Have a nice Armagnac for dessert from their deep selection.

We've eaten a lot throughout the area and for me it really boils down to one place: Bouchon. I absolutely adore Jeanty (more than PJ Steak), Redd is amazing, Terra and Cindy's Backstreet are favs, we've had fun and memorable meals at Martini House and have eaten snacks from Sunshine Market and Dean & Deluca more times than I can count. When I take all that into consideration my mind goes right back to Bouchon and the Boudin Blanc with Potato Puree, French Prunes, and Browned Butter. With a simple starter of Bibb Lettuce with Herbs & Vinaigrette and a finish of Sorbet, I can't really imagine a meal better in the Valley.

Salt and Pepper.

The beef noodle soup was one of two dishes we ordered in addition to the pancake. I thought it had great spice but with a weak, unseasoned broth. The soy sauce on the table helped punch it up a little, but it could have been much better. I might give it another try but the location in Irvine isn't really that close to where we live and with so many great ethnic choices right here in Costa Mesa, particularly on the West Side off 19th Street, it's hard to get out to the 5 fwy at Jeffrey.

We ate last at A & J last night. I would say that the menu is really inexpensive and fairly priced, but everything we ordered needed salt. Our three dishes were uniformly under-seasoned, but the potential was there for great flavor. I wonder if there was somebody different at the helm? By the way, Taiko, the Japanese restaurant a few doors down from A & J, was completely packed to the rafters. I wonder if I should check that place out.

That pancake looks very interesting. Is it meant to be dipped in a sauce or eaten as the vehicle for a dip or another dish of some sort? I could see it having lots of uses!

We're constantly looking for good Chinese food so we'll definitely check this one out. This week is packed full but we'll catch it next week.

Oh yeah, one more pic I found at the beginning of the trip files. Taken Christmas Eve, it's Santa's snack (Michael Mina's Chocolate Chip Cookie) plus carrots for Rudolph.

Yeah, the soup "special" was on the door every day but I think it's a running menu item. I have a feeling it's a house specialty of sorts as it was also served at PJ Steak, Jeanty's other restaurant just down the street in the same town. By the way, we just received our shipment of Terra Valentine wines. That was fast! They must have been working all the way through the new year since I don't expect any of our other wines to make it this week.

Also, for kicks, my running thread on our trip can be found here: http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=97385 I really want to take advantage of one of the whites we picked up in the Valley, but I'm not sure how it's going to play out against that soup. Alternately, I might do a different soup all together as the first course. It's actually just a small portion of soup. More like an amuse than a full soup course. I just need a taste of something in everybody's glass to get them through.

Following a recent trip to Napa Valley, I'm so inspired by Jeanty's beautiful and delicate Tomato Soup in Puff Pastry I'm going to be preparing it for a dinner party next weekend. It's a lovely and rich soup with a velvety mouth feel, tart and fresh tomato flavor, and a rich addition of cream to bring everything together. The soup is topped with golden brown puff pastry. Of course, breaking into the pastry and stirring it into the soup is the real joy of this simple but beautiful dish. The big question, is what to pair with it? My guts tell me to go with a big creamy white wine. I would think a White Burgundy or French-Style New World Chardonnay would play off the creaminess and mouth feel of the soup, but I don't want to interfere with that unmistakable, slightly acidic bite of tomato. Something crisper might be in order like a White Bordeaux/Sauvignon Blanc. Maybe something with a slight sweetness like a Riesling? I want to take advantage of some of the wine we purchased from our recent trip, which would basically put us in the Chardonnay category I just mentioned. We didn't pick up much white except for a few estate Chardonnays which are delicious.

Here are some additional pics for fun: Our family with Dana and Don from Trespass: The hand-made spiral stairs leading down to the fermentation and aging room at Terra Valentine: From the deck at Cardinale off HWY 29: Dessert at Bouchon: Bistro Jeanty, taken tipsy after a pitcher of Bordeaux:

One note on Bistro Jeanty. I was slightly hesitant to dine there mostly because we had so many people in our party including an infant, but also because every meal is so precious in Napa and I didn't know what to expect from the quaint little bistro on Washington Street in Yountville. Of course, I clapped with glee when I realized the menu featured such treasures as lamb's tongue salad, pig's trotter salad, lamb cheeks pasta with artichoke and fava, fried smelt with aioli, and about five other random bits and pieces I would never be so lucky to see on any menu in Orange County. What a treat Jeanty is, and shame on me for passing it up on each and every one of my previous trips. The tomato soup (ever so slightly tart with the flavor of pure fresh tomato tempered by luscious cream) is heaven underneath a dome of perfectly golden brown puff pastry. I never realized such humble soup could be raised to such great heights. I could eat a basket of those little fried smelt with spicy aioli, and the cassoulet was something built for four people in the dead of winter. Creamy beans, duck leg confit, tender sausages, all baked under a golden parsley breadcrumb top. Yes please. Terra Valentine was a really unexpected pleasure as well. It's an obscure winery up Spring Mountain with an interesting story. I booked a tour and tasting there because my family really wanted to do a big tour thing and Terra Valentine was recommended for that very purpose. I thought it would be decent wine but I'm always leery of cheesy tours. I was proved wrong yet again because it was a great building with interesting architecture and stained glass and the wine was superb. The Pinot Noir, available I believe only from the winery, was cloudy, dense, and earthy with flavors of cherry rock candy. They have an estate reserve, but for me the big drinker was the classic Spring Mountain Cabernet, floating somewhere around $55 a bottle. Pride, where we've been before so we knew what to expect, surprised us with a fortified Viogner that I've never tasted from them. It was a last minute pour on a whim from our host and it was delicious! It was musky on the nose. Like raw pumpkin (according to my very smart wife, Holly) or like slightly turned melon. On the palette it was creamy and viscous with dense tropical fruit. I would serve it with blue cheese and honey in a split second. Bouchon, as always, was perfect. We had two lunches there actually. I couldn't pass up the brandade fritters or the white sausage with prunes. For me those are staples, even though I was nearly tempted by our server to try the liver special with onion rings. I passed on it only to be bummed I didn't get it after all. The table behind us ordered one and the liver looked like the size of a filet mignon from a steakhouse. It was beefy! Tasting with Mr. and Mrs. Seavey was an event we'll never forget. Extremely knowledgeable, extraordinarily down to earth and humble, and aging gracefully, they were the best hosts and our tasting of four wines ended up lasting two hours. Time seems to get away from you at their little winery with a big following. I understand fully now and in honor of the wines we purchased last week, we're already putting together a tasting menu to highlight our loot. Go and search out Trespass Vineyards immediately. They're at the base of Spring Mountain and I think they're doing around 1,200 cases annually of two different wines. We arrived for our 2pm appointment a few minutes early and were confused if we were even in the right place or not. We basically pulled into an empty field surrounded by vineyards. On the South side of the vineyard (where we later found out the cab vines are planted) there was a small table. A few working sheds and an outhouse rounded out the scenery so we just sat alone eating snacks from Sunshine Market until Don pulled up in his trusty red Ford truck. He popped out with a bag of wines and so the tasting began. Luscious and concentrated, the Cab Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon were exactly what I hope for in a good California red wine. The tasting included two different vintages of the cab. The family resemblance is definitely there but I think I liked the 2003 a bit better. It seemed livelier and fuller of potential for down-the-road tastings. It was hard to say though since we were basically pouring as much as we wanted freely. Three bottles were downed at that tasting and we rode off into the sunset with big purple smiles on our face. Go here: http://www.trespassvineyard.com/ All in all it was a rocking trip. If anybody is interested, I have a ton of additional pics. I'll post them on request.

Spending a week in the heart of California's Napa Valley wine country can seriously take a toll. Rich foods and endless wine. What a vacation. This was our second trip to the area in 2006 but our visit in March was a single-day trip with a couple of fast-stops at four or five wineries plus a fast lunch at Bouchon. This time we stayed, we lingered, we sipped, we indulged. Highlights include: Bistro Jeanty for dinner with 11 people (tomato soup in puff pastry is amazing) Having sweetbreads for lunch and dinner at two different restaurants in the same day (crispy "steaks" with onions confit, chanterelles, and mornay for lunch followed by roasted with mushrooms in puff pastry with roasted chicken demiglace for dinner) A vineyard tasting with Dan & Dana Gallagher from Trespass Vineyards (5-acres, Bordeaux grapes, lovely lovely small-production wine) Tasting with the Seavey family (Some of the nicest Chardonnay we've had for the blow-out price of $24 per bottle) Ham & Cheese Croissant every single morning from Bouchon Bakery (Crispy, flaky, cheesy, salty, buttery goodness . . . sold out every morning by 9am) Barrel tasting of the 2005 futures from Pina Cellars (The D'Adamo is going to be brilliant) 1979 Armagnac for dessert (Sometimes you need a break from custards, sorbets, glaces, etc.) I could go on and on and on. I should write a huge and full-blown report on our daily events, but I doubt anybody would care too much about the smaller details. I'll mention that we did hit, among many others, Pride Mountain, Terra Valentine, Robert Sinskey, Baldacci, Darioush, WM Harrison, Cardinale, Turnbull, Elyse, and a few others I'll remember later today. Here are some random pics:

Congrats to you and your son! Terra is a great restaurant and I'm sure the education was strictly top-notch. What is his knife situation? A really swank 12" chef's knife from a nice prducer is what I would have wnated at that age. Something showy, but definitely practical. A Shun 12" chef knife is my always go-to. it's impressive and can be kept surgically sharp with a little maintenance.